5 years later
by BikerChick101
Summary: NS oneshot; the journey from the finale and through the 5 year time jump, just a little osmething for NS shippers and NJBC and Henry lovers


2012

"So are you seriously telling me that Dan being Gossip girl isn't bothering you?" Blair asked leaning against her husband and looking over at their two best friends. It was late in the afternoon and they were all exhausted, her and Chuck's wedding reception was postponed for the next day, her mother and Cyrus were at Lily's planning, Dan and Rufus were in Brooklyn talking about his Gossip Girl posts and Jack and Georgina left together, Blair didn't want to even think about what that meant.

"Why is it still bothering you?" Serena asked, she was lounging on one side of the couch, her feet on Nate's lap like they always ended up being when they were younger. "I thought we spoke about how we were over it."

"Yes we did but now that we know who it is and the … the relief of the end of Gossip Girl has come and passed, I'm really angry again," Blair said and both Nate and Chuck laughed at her.

"Blair, I think we've reached this point in our lives were we can let this go," Nate said and Blair frowned sinking further back into Chuck's embrace for the reassurance that she wasn't just making a huge deal out of this.

"I refuse," Blair said and Nate and Serena rolled their eyes, while Chuck just looked down at her ready to hear her out. "Gossip Girl, no not Gossip Girl, DAN, destroyed all our friendships at one point, do you know how much could have happened for us if he didn't want to get be in our lives?"

"Like what B?" Serena asked her brows furrowing as she tried to understand what her best friend was getting at now. "Everything is sorted out all tied up in a neat little bow, it couldn't get more prefect."

"Serena think about it, how many times have you wanted to destroy Gossip Girl for ruining our lives, for revealing our secrets before we intended to," she asked sending a pointed look to Serena. "The many times you went missing and he knew exactly where you were."

"Yeah and you guys found me, _with_ his help," Serena said exasperatedly and Nate squeezed her ankle to calm her down.

"I am not saying that he wasn't a helpful piece of work sometimes but its more than that, do you remember how mad we were after his book came out," Blair asked and they all nodded. "I just feel like we should feel like that and not like Nate in the ninth grade."

Nate picked his hands up and looked at Blair open mouthed but then nodded and smiled because he was always high back then, nothing could make him angry except maybe if someone had to say something negative to or about Serena. Thinking about her he looked over to find her glaring at Blair for still doubting Dan after everything.

"He's borderline psychotic, think about it S, he stalked all of us, including himself for 8 years," Blair exclaimed. "I don't understand how you can be ok with that."

"Blair, Dan hasn't done anything wrong," Serena said shaking her head and Blair scowled.

"You can't keep following him around like a Golden Retriever ," Blair said. "One day he's going to get tired of your lost puppy act."

Nate could feel Serena's rage and squeezed her ankle tighter, he didn't know what it was doing exactly but he did know it made him feel like he was stopping her from attacking Blair.

"And to think, this was all just to gain entrance to our world," Blair said shaking her head in thought.

"Humphrey has been a huge cause of pain and while I will never accept him as the three of you have in the past, I respect his ambition," Chuck said with a smirk and Nate laughed at his best friend.

"Ambition or not he could have easily told us where Serena was earlier this year instead he made Nate give up his career making story to do it," Blair said and Serena looked at Blair confused before looking up at Nate who shrugged. "That was the reason you fudged up your numbers and why Bart controlled you, you cannot tell me that going through that was helpful."

"You gave up your career making story for me?" Serena asked and Nate nodded, the anger she felt toward Blair a second ago dissipated and all her attention was now focused on Nate. "Why?"

"If it helps Serena, it's worth it," Chuck answered echoing Nate's words to them from the beginning of the year when they were on their way to find Serena. "I will never get why you did that Nathaniel."

"How else were we going to know where she was?" Nate asked and Chuck shook his head, Serena looked like she was on the verge of tears. "It _was_ worth it to know that you were alive and healthy and not in a ditch somewhere … waiting to be sacrificed," Nate said with a pointed look at Blair who huffed.

"I was serious about those movies I watched Nate," Blair told him, waving her hand around. "If I'm not mistaken I watched them with you."

"Nathaniel's bad movie choices aside," Chuck said moving so he could stand. "I would like to spend my first night as a married man, alone with my wife, you two know the way out."

"I can't believe you're kicking us out," Serena complained regaining her composure to stick her tongue out at her stepbrother.

"I can," Nate said getting up quickly, grabbing Serena's shoes and holding his hand out to help her up. "Mr. and Mrs. Bass," Nate said bowing and Chuck and Blair laughed at him.

"Natie I have no shoes, you're going to have to carry me," Serena complained, Nate held out her shoes to her and Serena shook her head. "I'm too lazy to put them on."

Nate rolled his eyes and looked to Chuck and Blair who just shook their heads obviously just waiting for the blonds to leave already. "Ok come on," Nate said tiredly and Serena smiled as she jumped onto his back.

"Good luck Nathaniel," Chuck said shaking his head.

"Don't be late to the reception tomorrow," Blair warned pointing to them as the elevator dinged and the doors opened.

"Goodnight Bass's," Nate and Serena said in a sing-song voice as they disappeared into the elevator.

"Those two belong together," Blair mused and squealed when Chuck picked her up, not giving her anytime to think about her statement.

"So you really gave away the one thing that would have saved the Spectator to find me?" Serena asked, she still couldn't get over the fact that he would do that for her but then again the name Georgina gave him earlier was true, 'Saint Nate', he really was a saint.

"And I'd do it again in a heartbeat," Nate said walking out of the elevator and through the lobby. "Do you want to stay here while I get you a cab?"

"Mmmm my mom's place isn't that far away," she said suggestively and Nate groaned. "Please."

"Fine, but only because you asked nicely," he said adjusting her on his back and walking out onto the street. "Does this mean that Dan's done posting about our lives?"

"Well I hope so," Serena said laughing. "Why?"

"Because I just saw a kid take a picture of us and she's probably going to send it to Gossip Girl," Nate said and then furrowed his brows. "No, to Dan, it's going to take a while to get used to this."

"How do you feel about that, really?" Serena asked resting her chin on his shoulder as he walked.

"Really?" he asked a little hesitantly. "I kinda feel like Blair does, like now that the comedic shock that Gossip Girl is Dan is over, I'm kinda mad at him but we don't expect you to feel the same S."

"I'm sure Blair does," Serena said and Nate smirked.

"Since when do you act the way Blair wants you to?" he asked and she smiled.

"I don't," Serena said. "I think he's changed Nate, I think we're going to work this time."

"No offence S but how many times have you said that," Nate said and Serena frowned. "How long is the honeymoon period going to last this time before one of you finds another fault and you both get hurt again?"

"I don't want to talk about this anymore," Serena said and Nate stopped, they were in the lobby of her mother and now Dan's building.

"Look I didn't mean to make you angry," Nate said helping her off his back and handing her shoes back to her. "I just don't want to see you hurt again."

Nate gave her a small smile and left the building leaving Serena to think about what he said as she watched him leave.

N&S

* * *

2013

"This is getting harder to do," Blair complained as she and Serena walked through the streets of the Upper East Side with shopping bags in their arms.

"I told you we should have gotten the guys to come with," Serena said and Blair rolled her eyes. "B, it's been like a year since we found out Dan was Gossip Girl, let it go."

"I'm sorry I think of all the things Gossip Girl did to us whenever I look at him," Blair said stopping outside the next shop and contemplating whether or not to go in. "You of all people cannot fault me for holding this grudge."

"Yeah but it makes family brunch that much more awkward," Serena mumbled following her into the shop. "Chuck has never liked Dan, I get it but you dated the guy, you know he's a good guy, why won't you let it go?"

"I won't," Blair said picking up a dress and looking at it. "Because I cannot let go of the pain Gossip Girl has caused me since I was 14 and you shouldn't either, this was not one huge 'love letter', this was a guy stalking you to gain entrance to the Upper East Side's elite, read the Gossip Girl reveal again without bias."

"Blair," Serena complained not really wanting to talk about this and Blair clenched her jaw.

"Dammit, I'm housing Nate's new soccer partner," she said placing her hand on her tummy. "Two months, S, two months and my bladder can stop being used as a punching bag, I need to pee."

Serena took whatever Blair had in her hands and fought the laugh that was making its way out, Blair stomped her way through the shop to the back and Serena sighed and looked back at the baby clothes Blair was just looking at. Blair was having a boy but that didn't stop her from looking at the cutest little dresses, Serena knew Blair would love her son but she'd always wanted a daughter.

"I think we need to cut this shopping trip short if I ever want to feel my feet again," Blair said taking her shopping bags back from Serena.

"It may help if you wore flats instead of those heels," Serena said looking down at Blair's shoes and Blair huffed.

"I am Blair Waldorf-Bass, I will not be seen wearing flat shoes unless I'm going to the beach," Blair said as they started walking. "Fashion knows not of comfort, all that matters is the face you show to the world."

"Of course," Serena said walking close to Blair so she can grab her in case she falls. "B, about Dan, do you think maybe you can make an effort, for me?"

Blair took a breath and sighed. "I'll make an effort," Blair said. "Just don't expect me to accept him anytime soon."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Serena said with a smile and Blair nodded, all Serena really needed was Blair to try and she knew Blair would accept him to the Upper East Side like she did before.

N&S

* * *

2014

"You two broke up again?" Blair asked as she picked Henry up and placed him on her lap so he could sit and watch his aunt pace in front of him. "It's like the third time in the past two years, what happened this time?"

"I don't even know, he just came home and started rambling about the horror of the Upper East Side and then we got into a fight and he asked me to leave," Serena said sitting down and putting her head in her hands. Henry cooed and reached out to her and Serena's heart melted. "You'll never make me sad would you?" she asked before taking Henry from Blair's arms and hugging him to her.

"Forget him S, like I told you to do years ago," Blair said picking up some of Henry's toys and placing them in a pile for Dorota to sort out later. "Dan Humphrey is not your fairytale ending."

"What if he is?" Serena asked clapping Henry's hands together.

"Then he wouldn't make you feel like you do right now," Blair said reaching out to tickle her baby's belly and smiling at his laugh. "Or leave you without a date to your mother's party tonight as the old or new Mrs. Van der Woodsen."

"My parents should have been this sure about their relationship when I was growing up," Serena said making Henry stand on her thighs. "It would have saved Erik and I a lot of heartache."

"So are you going solo tonight?" Blair asked and Serena shrugged.

"Unless I can find a date in the next 3 hours," she said looking up at the clock on the wall. "I'm going to be alone, that's pretty sad."

"Or you can take Nate," Blair said with an excited smile on her face, when she saw Nate and Chuck walking in. "Saint Nate to the rescue."

"Why did Georgina ever call me that?" Nate groaned, going straight for Henry who was already smiling at his godfather. "Hey little man."

Serena frowned as Henry was plucked out of her arms by Nate, the baby was comforting her. Chuck went over to Blair and sat on the armrest so he could put his arm around her, "You don't have a date for tonight either, do you Nate?" Blair asked.

"Well actually Sage called and-" Nate started but Blair cut him off.

"If you start with that little twit again Nate, I swear I will cut your balls off and feed them to Monkey," Blair threatened and the three adults stared at her in shock while Henry pulled at Nate's tie.

"Are you pregnant again?" Nate asked a little scared and Chuck shook his head at Nate.

"No I am not," she said and Chuck squeezed her arm. "Henry has just started teething, which means he wakes me up at random hours of the morning and Chuck has meetings all morning so he can't help."

"No sleep means Blair snaps at everyone," Chuck said rubbing his wife's arm and she rolled her eyes.

"That doesn't mean I feel any different about Sage," Blair told Nate. "I thought this nonsense was over last year."

"It was and then she called the office this morning and asked if we could meet," Nate said making faces at Henry.

"Cancel everything and never call her again," Blair said holding her hand up. "Since you're free you can escort Serena tonight."

Nate laughed at Blair's sugary sweet voice and Serena buried her face in her hands. "What happened to Dan?" Nate asked and both girls groaned. Henry began to fuss in Nate's arms so Chuck got up to take him.

"My turn to deal with this little devil," he said as he took the crying child from his best friend and Blair nodded watching her husband take their son upstairs.

"We had a fight," Serena said without lifting her face from her hands. "And broke up."

"Another break-up?" Nate asked and Blair nodded. "S, you guys have got to talk before you get back together again."

"What makes you think they're going to get back together?" Blair asked and Nate sadly shrugged making Blair look at him differently.

"If we do, I don't have balls for you to threaten me with," Serena smirked when she finally looked up.

"Hmm," Blair said still watching Nate.

"Tell Chuck I'll see him later," Nate said before turning to Serena. "Pick you up at 7."

"You look like you have a plan," Serena said pulling her knee's up to her chin. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm just wondering … what Sage wants with Nate," Blair lied, what she really wanted to know was why Nate had that look on his face when he thought of Dan and Serena getting back together.

N&S

"I cannot believe he showed up here," Blair scream whispered to Chuck when they were alone, the past 10 minutes saw Chuck entertaining an old friend of Lily's while Blair seethed at the man who was talking to Serena.

"Blair calm down, Nathaniel won't let her leave with him," Chuck said gently touching her back. Henry was with Dorota at the penthouse for the night while his parents came to Lily's party, the separation already had Blair on edge, Dan talking to Serena after their break-up was not helping her mood.

"_Nathaniel_ will let her do what she wants because he's still in love with her," Blair said and Chuck smirked.

"You noticed too?" Chuck asked and Blair rolled her eyes.

"Our eight month old noticed," she said, holding her non-alcoholic drink out to him to hold. "I have to stop this."

"No, _you_ are not doing anything," Chuck said holding onto her arms. "I know you want to but we promised to stop meddling in Nate and Serena's lives when Henry was born."

"I know but she makes such stupid mistakes sometimes," Blair said biting on her lip. "And she never learns from them."

"Trust her," Chuck said and Blair reluctantly agreed with him.

When she saw Serena leaving she wished she didn't because Serena left with Dan, her eyes were red but she was smiling as Dan wrapped his arm around her and Blair felt the need to kill Nate for allowing this to happen.

N&S

* * *

2015

"Nate how could you," Blair said in a teary voice, storming into his office at the Spectator where he was having lunch with a girl. "I thought you were here working while I took care of _our_ baby at home but you're on a date with this _slut_."

Nate just stared at her with his mouth hanging open waiting for an explanation, even after Henry put his arms out to be taken by his godfather and started to fuss when Nate didn't react to him because Nate always reaches for him as soon as he sees Henry. The girl Nate was having lunch with looked between the two of them mumbled something about needing to go to work and left.

"Great, now that she's gone we have things to discuss," Blair said in her normal bossy tone sitting in the place the other girl was and dropping Henry's diaper bag into the next chair. Henry continued to fuss and reach out to Nate until his godfather took him from his mother.

"What was that about Blair?" Nate asked rocking Henry so he'd calm down. "I don't have a lot of time, I haven't had a date in months and you just ruined one."

"Stop complaining, she didn't even know who I was," Blair said waving him off. "She wouldn't have lasted past Tuesday."

"It's Monday," Nate said raising an eyebrow.

"Exactly," Blair said, picking up one of Nate's pages to read.

"Henry why is your mommy here?" Nate asked the baby in his arms and Henry giggled. "You don't know?" Nate asked and Henry shook his head and said 'no'. "I don't know either."

"Serena needs your help," Blair said and Nate looked at her confused.

"Where's Dan?" Nate asked.

"You just failed my test," Blair said and Nate frowned, handing Henry a chip.

"There was a test?" Nate asked and Blair looked like she was about to kill him.

"You were supposed to ask where she was and how to help her," Blair said and Nate laughed.

"Blair, if Serena needed help I'd be the last person she'd call," Nate said avoiding Blair's eyes and focusing on entertaining his godson.

"It bothers you doesn't it, that you're the last person she'd call," Blair stated when Nate refused to meet her eyes. "Nate if you're still in love with her then tell her before she marries Gossip Girl."

"Gossip Girl doesn't exist anymore and hasn't for three years," Nate told her before going back to his nonsensical conversation with the almost two year old. "You can call him Dan you know."

"I don't forgive easily," Blair said.

"Or at all," Nate told her. "He hasn't written about us for the past few years, I think that deserves some credit."

"I don't give credit for things that shouldn't have been done in the first place," Blair said putting the pages back onto Nate's desk. "The real reason I can here was to stop you from making a mistake with … whoever she was and to get you to admit that you're still in love with Serena and you have been ever since she took your virginity on a barstool."

"We've been over for years now," Nate said and kissed Henry on the cheek. "Isn't that right Henry, Aunt Serena and I are friends."

"We'll leave you to get back to work now," Blair said and Nate shook his head and gave Henry a hug, not wanting to let him go. Blair just laughed at him and took Henry, smiling as the little boy waved and said bye to Nate. "Oh and by the way if you wanted to convince me that you weren't in love with her your answer should have been 'No Blair, I don't love her'."

Nate groaned and sat down heavily in his chair, Blair was not going to let that go, he just wondered when she'd realize that Serena would never love him back.

N&S

* * *

2016

Serena woke up early and stretched her arms up above her head, his hand slipped lower down her body as she stretched her body. She snuggled closer to his warm body in the icy cold December morning, running her finger across his face, she marveled at what a heavy sleeper he'd always been.

"Natie," she whispered by his ear and he stirred slightly before burying his head in her hair and letting out a soft snore. Serena giggled and sighed, if she wanted to wake him up she'd have to throw ice water on him like she did when they were younger.

She looked around the room for something to wear and smiled when she saw that blue shirt she always reached for when they were dating hanging on his chair, she knew Jenny hi-jacked it at one point but she's glad it's back with him now. Thinking about Dan's sister made her think about Dan and she didn't want to do that, she couldn't without crying.

Serena sits up as slowly as she could and makes a move toward the shirt on the chair when Nate pulls her back so that she's lying next to him again. "Five more minutes," he mumbled, kissing her bare shoulder and smiling like a little kid.

Serena thought about protesting but his arms were so warm around her and he looked so comfortable she couldn't bear to wake him up again by moving. She was meant to only wait the five minutes before waking up again but she was just so content that she ended up falling asleep again.

When she woke up again she was cold, she ran her hands over the sheet next to her to find it still warm which meant that Nate didn't leave her too long ago. She could faintly hear his voice in the other room and she waited until he finally made his way to her, his voice getting louder the closer he got to her. She couldn't stop the calm that washed over her just from hearing his voice, "Hey look Aunt Serena is awake," Nate said when he laid his eyes on her and she immediately smiled because he was talking to Henry.

"Hi Henry, Merry Christmas," Serena said as soon as she took the phone from him, the barely four year old was babbling along on the other end and she just smiled wide as she listened to him, she could listen to him talk utter nonsense for hours and she always wondered what it would feel like once she had her own kids because she can't imagine loving anyone more than she loves her godson.

While she was talking Nate got back onto the bed but instead of lying next to her like she assumed he would he propped himself on top of her not letting all of his weight crush her but just enough to let her enjoy the pressure of him on her.

"Blair's either going to call back in five seconds or she's going to corner us at the her my moms," Serena said when she hung up, moving her legs so Nate could settle himself more comfortably between them.

"Dorota answered the call," Nate said taking one of her hands and lacing their fingers together. "Blair and Chuck were _attempting_ to make Harold's famous pumpkin pie and our godson is too preoccupied with his presents and candy to let his parents know who else he spoke to."

"Really?" Serena asked skeptically, as well as they knew Henry, he was still basically a baby to them and he was unpredictable.

"I'm sure, if Blair does corner you then I give you permission to hit me," Nate said with a smirk. "So, about last night."

"No," Serena said and Nate gave her a look, Serena shook her head and looked away. "No, we are not talking about this, it was a hard day for me yesterday, you were here for me, we had fun and there's no reason to talk about something that doesn't mean anything."

"Ok," Nate said looking at her carefully, as if she'd disappear if he looked at her wrong. "I'm getting into the shower, we have to get ready for lunch at your parents."

"Nate, I didn't," Serena started to say as he got up off her and started to walk to his closet. "I didn't mean for this to mean anything, I just thought… I thought you knew."

"Don't worry about it," Nate said with a smile that Serena could easily see through but she let him kiss her swiftly on the mouth before making his way to the bathroom.

Serena bit her lip and buried her face in her hands, she didn't mean to hurt Nate, she never means to hurt Nate but she always without fail goes to him when things go bad, whenever she and Dan have problems or breakup, she goes to him and sometimes it turns into meaningless sex and sometimes he's just a shoulder that she needs to leans on but he's always there and always gives her what she needs no matter how difficult it is for him.

This time she and Dan had been broken up for over a month but she knew from Jenny and from finding the ring stuffed in his sock drawer that he was going to propose on Christmas Eve and he wanted to announce it to the rest of the family on Christmas day. Serena knew she shouldn't be so depressed over a proposal that wasn't going to happen anymore but she ended up at Nate's doorstep anyway with a bottle of Tequila in hand ready to forget everything. The alcohol remained sealed on his counter unlike every other time they'd slept together in the past four years and she thinks maybe that's why he thought this meant more to her, that this meant that she's over Dan.

By the time Nate got out of the bathroom she was sitting on his bed in her favorite shirt, staring at her phone. "Dan didn't call yet?"

"No," Serena said, she thought maybe she should keep the Dan talk to a minimum. "Are you going to your grandfathers today?"

"I'm having lunch with you guys and then I'm flying to them," Nate said digging through his cupboard for his clothes. "Are you going to be ok today?"

"What do you mean?" Serena asked.

"I just mean that he is going to be at your moms," Nate said, letting the statement hang, she knew what he meant, she knew he, Chuck and Blair were sick of the constant break-ups and make-ups and they just want her to be happy which to them meant that she shouldn't be with Dan. They just didn't get that he made her feel really good and she didn't want to lose that, she didn't want to lose her first love.

"I'll be ok," Serena assured him, getting of the bed and walking to the bathroom. "You guys will distract me."

N&S

"I cannot watch this anymore, Chuck block Henry's eyes," Blair said and Chuck laughed at her but did as she asked, putting his hand close to his sons eyes, Henry wasn't bothered though because he was too busy playing with the toy car his parents bought him. "Nate, do something."

"What do you expect me to do?" Nate asked watching on, his face straight and his body rigid.

"This reminds me of a conversation we had at Lily and William's reception," Chuck told his wife who frowned.

"Exactly, this is a classic Serena train wreck, they'll stay together for a few months and then they'll break up and she'll be our mess to clean up," Blair said. "Nate, do something this time, don't let her leave with him."

"I'm sorry Blair," Nate said dejectedly, watching Serena say yes to the man she was crying over the night before, their eyes met when she was hugging Dan and Nate held her gaze, refusing to let her go until she broke their connection. "She's made her decision, we just have to be happy for her."

"I have tried being happy for her, I've tried talking sense into her, I don't know what else to do," Blair said and Nate turned around and headed for the kitchen, he couldn't watch Dan and Serena anymore. "How many more times is she going to make the same mistake before she learns?"

The caterers were in and out of the kitchen, taking new trays of champagne and snacks for the guests so Nate was never alone, he thought that was a good thing because if he were alone he may cry and he didn't want anyone to see him that vulnerable.

"Hey," Serena said from behind him. "You disappeared from the party."

"Yeah, you're engaged, congrats," Nate said putting on a fake and probably really see-through smile. "I didn't see that coming."

"Me neither," Serena said smiling as well. "No-one knows about last night right?"

"Unless Henry decides to say something," Nate confirmed, the knife in his heart twisting. "Have you spoken to Blair yet?"

"I think she wants to kill me but I'm sure I can twist her arm to help me plan this wedding," Serena said with a smile and Nate nodded looking down at his finished drink. "Nate, I-"

"Serena there you are," Dan said coming into the kitchen. "Nate, man what are you doing in the kitchen?"

"I just came to get another drink," Nate said holding up his empty glass. "But I think what I want is back out there."

"I'll ask the caterers what their problem is and you'll have a new drink before you know it," Dan said and Nate knew that Dan was going to reprimand the waiters for no real reason but Nate couldn't bring himself to care.

"Thanks man, hey congrats on the engagement," Nate said shaking Dan's hand. "I'll see you guys back out there."

Serena wanted to stop him from leaving, to try and explain things to him, to try and figure out how disappointed he was in her but by the time she got away from Dan, Nate had already left.

N&S

* * *

2017

They were getting married, Serena had managed to convince Blair to host and help plan the wedding at her and Chucks penthouse. "She just wanted something small and intimate with her closest friends and family, I don't know if you've heard Nathaniel but you fall into that category," Chuck said when he called to convince him to go and Nate rolled his eyes promising that he'd be there.

They had all become their parents whether they wanted to or not, Chuck and Blair got into the fields of work their parents were in, he and Serena followed their parents in a more destructive way, he committed fraud and Serena was about to embark in her first of many marriages and he wasn't going to let her make her mother's mistakes, he wasn't going to let her become something she has never wanted to be.

Then again she could be really happy with Dan, what if this was the time that they could make it work, what if she hates him for asking her to not go through with this wedding? Nate rubbed his head just above his eyebrows and sighed, he was getting a headache.

Nate got off the plane and spoke to the reporter as if he were on autopilot, avoiding the questions about his upcoming run for mayor, his grandfather was so proud. Nate quickly got into the car and checked his phone for the time, he was running late for the time he promised Chuck but he still had enough time to make it for the wedding.

His phone started ringing and Nate answered quickly, his nerves showing in his sharp movements. "Hey Chuck, I'm on my way," Nate said when he answered.

"Hi Natie," she said, sounding as nervous as he felt.

"Serena?" he asked pulling his phone away from his ear to see Chuck and Blair's home number reflecting on his screen. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah I am," she said softly. "I just … I needed to hear your voice."

"You can even see me in less than 20 minutes," Nate said hoping she'd find some kind of comfort in that. "Are you ready?"

"No," she said, she sounded like she was in tears now. "I'm standing in the room in this huge dress and I sent Jenny away to find something for me and I don't think I can do this."

"You can S," Nate said, he knew he didn't want her to go through with this wedding but he couldn't let her feel the way she does. "If you really want to you can."

"I wish you were here right now," Serena told him in such a soft voice that Nate questioned if he was meant to hear that at all.

"Serena, I'll be there soon ok?" he told her, making sure she knew he'd be by her side.

"I'm fine Nate," she said after a moment, her voice back to the normal confident Serena van der Woodsen voice. "Thank you for talking me through my moment of weakness, my mom's coming to check on me, I have to go."

The call cuts before he could reply and Nate's surprised that he's already reached his destination. He wonders if this was Serena's only moment of weakness, he wonders if she's happy and if she's really ready for it, he wonders if she knows how he feels, how he's always felt.

When the doors open for him to go into Chuck and Blair's home, Nate takes a deep breath and walks in, he's confident in what he's about to do, he wants her to have her happiness, he needs it to last forever, because if there's one thing he never wants for Serena, it's doubt. He's felt it, he knows how much it hurts and he loves her too much to wish that pain on her.

Nate apologizes to Chuck for being late and kisses Blair's cheek, before walking over to Henry who was sitting on his grandmother and tickling his tummy. He picked up one of Henry's toys and the latest edition of 'The Spectator' before sitting down and taking a deep breath. Nate swore he heard Lily say something about Serena not being nervous and something about this day finally happening.

Dan walked into the room then and everyone took their seats, Nate eyed him as he walked to the makeshift altar, clasping his hands together and waiting. Nate's breath caught in his throat as Serena descended the stairs, looking more beautiful than he'd ever thought she'd look on her wedding day. A look at Dan told Nate he didn't share the same sentiment, he grimaced at one point and he looked like Nate assumed he would if he wasn't pretending to be a supportive friend.

It was for that reason that he stood up when the priest uttered the words "Speak now or forever hold your peace." All eyes turned to him, Nate could feel everyone's eye's burning into his back, he could see Chuck's smirk and Blair trying to hide her relieved smile out of the corner of his eye and he could hear Eleanor trying to shush Henry because the little boy wanted to know 'why is Uncle Nate standing up.' Their reactions were the only reactions Nate needed to be positive right now.

"Don't marry him," he finally said, his eyes settling on Serena, everyone in the room still too shocked to say anything to him. "I love you Serena and I am in love with you and I know that this is not the time to say it but I think you need to know before you did this but more than that, you're setting yourself up to burn, you and Dan have proved time and time again why you don't work, I don't want you to get a divorce in six months because the unresolved problems of the past are coming back to haunt you.

"If Dan really is the one for you then I'm asking you to give this engagement more time, I don't want you to end up becoming everything you never wanted to become since you were twelve. That phone call earlier wasn't nerves and it wasn't a moment of weakness, it was doubt, don't doubt something as huge as this."

Nate finished his speech and blushed when he remembered that he wasn't only talking to Serena, who was staring at him with tears in her eyes begging him not to say more. Nate nodded and started to walk out when he heard clapping. He looked back to see Georgina Sparks with an impressed look on her face clapping for him.

"Who knew he had it in him," she said as he walked out and Chuck's laugh followed soon after.

Nate couldn't stay there anymore, he walked straight down to the street and got into the first taxi he could find to take him straight back to the airport. He wasn't going to stay in the city, not when he knew everyone except maybe Chuck and Blair would want to kill him for ruining this wedding, he didn't even want to know Serena's reaction and he really didn't want to know if they continued with the wedding after he walked out.

He was at his grandfathers' estate when he found out what happened, he was sitting in his room like he had been doing since he arrived there five hours before, staring at the wall thinking of all the missed opportunities he had to tell her he loved her, all the times he could have made her his own.

The door to his room creaked open and he sighed he didn't want to deal with his mother, the woman was driving him mad telling him all the things he should and should do, his just sitting in his room and staring at the wall for as long as he has been would trigger a series of long and painful lectures.

The room was still silent after a few minutes so he turned to look at his intruder and stood up shocked when he saw it was Serena, her eyes were red and she looked exhausted. Nate moved toward her, only managing to take two steps before she slapped him.

"How dare you Nate," she asked with a hard voice. "Of all the crazy things you have ever done, I think this is the craziest."

"Serena," Nate started.

"No," she screamed and Nate kept his mouth shut. "You said all you needed to say at the wedding," she said, her voice breaking when she said wedding but he didn't even move a muscle because she needed to get this out. "I have been humiliated and hurt by everyone except you Nate and I don't even know … I don't know what to do."

Nate took one final step toward her and she launched herself into his arms, crying and punching him and screaming out a stream of unintelligible words. Nate holds her and takes all the hits and agrees with every single thing she says because her bring her can only mean one thing.

"I couldn't get married," Serena says, letting go of Nate and letting him guide her to the bed. "Dammit Nate, there was a better time to do this."

"Like when?" Nate asked lying down next to her and holding her in his arms.

"The night I got engaged, if you told me not to, I would have turned him down," she says and Nate swallows hard, he should have listened to Blair, instead he let his stupid ego get in the way and he unintentionally let Serena go.

"What happened after I left," Nate asked, changing the direction of the conversation, he didn't want to talk about his idiocy anymore.

"Everyone just started talking at once and I looked at Dan and realized that you were right, we always pushed our problems under the rug and we weren't ready, after 5 years we still weren't ready to commit to each other completely," Serena said blinking quickly. "I don't want to become my mother but I really thought being with Dan would change that, I really thought he was different."

"I'm so sorry S," Nate said and he meant it, he didn't mean for everything to happen the way that it did, he didn't mean to stop her wedding, he didn't mean to embarrass her or himself for that matter he just had to do something before she made a mistake and her sitting here now without a ring makes him think that he did the right thing.

"Henry was so confused, Eleanor and Cyrus took him away after you left to try and explain what had happened," Serena said and Nate cringed. "Blair and Chuck looked like they just won a battle, Chuck told me that the Bass jet was ready when I needed it and after I gave Dan back his engagement ring I ended up here."

The two blonds spoke until late in the night about the events of the wedding and the consequences after, finally falling asleep in each other's arms. It took a few weeks before they stepped out together in New York, Chuck and Blair beaming close by with Henry between them, it looked like a perfect picture.

It took another year before Nate got the courage to propose and for their wedding to happen without anyone objecting, Dan as bitter as he was at first, came to realize that he and Serena were never meant to be, she was his muse but their relationship was toxic, the only thing that came out of it was another book.

Nate didn't know how life would have turned out if he hadn't stopped Serena from getting married but he's really glad that he did, because he got his happily ever after and she got her prince charming.

* * *

**A/N : It took me forever to find the insperation to do this one shot, I dont know if I'll be able to do a full story with the way I feel about the GG ending **

****Spoiler**  
****everyone just accepted Dan being GG so easily, I was so angry with Serena for it and as hot as Nate looked in the final scene, I was so annoyed that he didnt end up with Serena. Dan stalked them and ruined their lives and was an all round douche adn she still married him urg!**

**The only things I liked about the finale was Chuck and Blair and as you can see from this oneshot, I'm obsessed with Henry!**

**anyway please let me know what you think of this story and how you feel after the finale**

**I think there was more for me to say but I'm really tired so I'll save that for another day hehe**

**Until next time (^^,)**


End file.
